Work Text:
Y/N sat on her bed, a patched up Chifuyu across from her. Baji had just beaten Chifuyu's face in and the latter came to her to patch him up. Not wanting his mom to see him like this.
She had been shuffling tarot cards for the past ten minutes. Her aura oozed anxiety and fear as well as a hint of anger. Her hands were tingling, she had been ready to draw them five minutes ago. She was scared though. So scared, scared of the outcome. The possible future that awaited them. That awaited Baji, Chifuyu, and herself.
"I don't think the cards are going to have answers this time, babe " Chifuyu finally broke the silence.
"Hush, I was just getting ready to read them you know, " Y/N pouted before biting her lip nervously. "I'm just scared Fuyu" she finally looked at him before pulling a card
The moon.
She let out a breath of relief as Chifuyu eyed the card. He knew better than to touch the card for a better look, remembering all the times she's chewed him and Baji out in the past for touching her deck. His hand came up to cup his eye despite it already being patched up.
"Is that a good or bad card? " Chifuyu pondered out loud.
Y/N shook her head " There's not really a good or bad card. They all have good and bad sides to them. It all depends on the context of the reading." Y/N gave a bitter smile before continuing "In this case I'd say it's both, things aren't always what they seem in the moonlight. We don't have all the facts therefore we can't make any big decisions right now"
Chifuyu sat up straight, crossing his arms. "What does that mean?"
Y/N started biting her lip again before speaking. "I think it means we can't make any big decisions against Baji right now. We don't know everything yet." She pulled another card
Nine of Swords.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! I KNEW YOU'D POP UP! " Y/N cried out, hands shooting in the air.
"I THOUGHT YOU SAID THERE WERE NO BAD CARDS" Chifuyu exclaimed hands also shooting in the air.
"I know what I said damn it and there aren't but that doesn't mean I absolutely LOVE all of them. This one basically translates to your 3 am thoughts that keep you up at night" she replied crossing her arms.
"Then why the hell did you yell?" Chifuyu cut her off. He wasn't surprised she yelled as his girlfriend was a very 'passionate' person and got loud on some occasions. He actually quite enjoyed her comedic little out bursts but right now he felt like he was going to rip at the seams. Baji didn't want to tell them what he was thinking. That was unusual, they all told each other everything, or so Chifuyu thought.
He thought back to earlier that day. They were all on the rooftop, their usual spot for lunch time. Baji had been awfully quiet the entire day. He stared up at the clouds passing by before Chifuyu called out to him.
"Hey Baji, you feel okay? You've been quiet all day"
Baji ignored him, his mind spinning. He needed to keep them safe. As safe as he could, which meant shutting them out. He had to hurt them in the way that would break them most in hopes of keeping them alive.
"Kei, quit ignoring us" Y/N whined, shaking his arm a little. Baji's chest tightened, he felt like he couldn't breathe, but he hid his pain well.
"We should break up, " Baji felt like he wanted to puke. The other two's eyes widened at their boyfriend's sudden reply.
"No"
"Why"
Baji turned to them smirking "isn't it obvious, I don't like either of you any more. " Once upon a time Baji would've pummeled anyone who hurt either of them like this. And now he's become that monster.
Chifuyu glanced at Y/N. She wasn't doing much better. She had been fighting a breakdown since Chifuyu came stumbling through the door. And now she pulled her least favorite card.
"Because, you didn't let me finish, it's right side up which means find a way to solve it. Which is obviously easier said than done" she sighed, pushing a braid out of her face.
They sat in silence for a while, neither having much more energy to speak. Chifuyu reached over the cards, grabbing her shaking hands. "It's gonna be okay love. Baji will come to us when he's ready"
Y/N turned her hands over in his, so their palms were touching. She linked her fingers with his. "What if he doesn't Fuyu, I'm so scared. I keep having dreams. Nightmares" she whispers
"What're the nightmares," he asks carefully
Y/N sniffles, trying to contain herself. Her heart felt as if it was bruising the inside of her chest with how hard it was beating. She felt her hands become sweaty and a fleeting thought worried if he could feel it too. She swallowed before speaking.
"We're in a junkyard, and there's a brawl. " swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing "and in the middle of it is Kei. He's bleeding from the mouth. And then he… " She bit her lip and averted her eyes from Chifuyu's gaze.
"Take your time love, " Chifuyu comforts her. He gives a gentle squeeze to her hands, coupled with a warming smile. He didn't like where this was going, knowing that his girlfriend's dreams were no joke. Her often sensing bad news before it happened, like a sixth sense.
"He stabs himself Fuyu, right in the stomach." She blurts out, tears forming in her eyes. She sniffles and fights back her sobs threatening to escape her. Chifuyu is silent, a lump forming in his throat. He swallows before moving the cards. She can chew him out later
He pats his lap, a silent request for her to come lay in it. She crawls over to him, moving herself to fit in his lap. She nuzzles her head into the crook of his neck and curls into him. She inhales his scent, allowing it to calm her as she feels him snake his arms around her.
"Don't worry about all of this. I'm gonna find out what's going on, okay? Just promise me you'll stay out of it"
Hours later
Y/N laid in bed tossing and turning. She hadn't slept much that night, just like the cards had said. She sighed before getting up. She looked at her phone.
3:38 am
No new messages
She bit her lip, wanting nothing more to curl up in Baji's arms and cry. She suddenly got an idea. Getting out of bed usually proved to be a task for her, but right now she didn't want to be in her bed. Only his (that's what she said)
She got dressed, not bothering to take off her bonnet. If things went as planned she wouldn't have a reason to take it off. Not bothering to tip toe as she stalked towards the front door, knowing that her mother was down for the night. She grabbed a grappling hook her mother had bought during her camping phase. Sometimes she was glad her mother was a hoarder.
'Stay out of it'
Chifuyu's words lingered in her mind, stopping her from touching the door knob. He wanted her to stay out of things, not wanting to see her hurt. Her heart twinged a little at the thought. She understood he wanted her safe but she couldn't stand by as her boyfriends hurt each other. Letting out a shaky breath she put her hand on the door knob and turned it.
The walk to Baji's wasn't far from her apartment building. Although one creep tried following her until she scared them off with her fists just like the boys taught her to. Her mind however was hell. Remnants of nightmares plagued her mind. She nearly cried several times on the way. She didn't dare let any tears out yet, knowing that once she started she wouldn't stop.
The climb to Baji's room however was a different story. She grabbed her grappling hook and flung it towards Baji's balcony. Thank gods he was only on the second floor. She began climbing the side of the building nervously.
Baji, hearing the noise outside his window, opens the sliding door. His eyes widen a bit before they narrow. "What the hell are you doing? " he questions . ' She's insane' he thinks
"I should be asking you that, now help pull me up" She replies, still climbing. Baji shakes his head, he grabs the other end of the rope and begins pulling her up.
When she is finally within reach he grabs her hands and pulls her over the edge of his balcony. "I'll ask again, what the hell are you doing? " Baji tries his hardest to keep his tone cold, unfeeling. It was hard enough with Chifuyu, and it's equally hard with her. He loves them. It hurts him to lie to them like this but for the sake of everyone he has to.
'I have to' repeats in his head.
"And I said, I should be asking you that. What's going on? Why have you shut us out Kei?" Y/N asks. She can feel the dam gates breaking now that she's finally in front of him.
"This doesn't concern you, Y/N. Stay out of it" he responds bitterly "now go home, I'll walk you back" he finishes
Y/N feels something inside her break. Neither wants her hurt in the process of whatever this is. But she's already hurt the moment she heard the news and saw Chifuyu's bloody face. An image that stays with her, that pops in her mind instantly.
"No!" She cries. The gates finally burst and she covers her face. Her heart threatened to beat out of her own chest "You're hurt but won't tell us anything, so in turn you hurt Fuyu, and me, because you won't tell us anything" she says through hiccups
It breaks him to see her like this, the same way it broke him when his fist first collided with Chifuyu's face. 'Be strong' he clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He can't look at her. "This isn't about anything, I don't wanna be in ToMan anymore and that's that."
"Then mean it when you say that Kei!" She sobs. She starts to shiver in the cold night and Baji sighs. He shrugs off his jacket and places it around her shoulders. She leans into him and wraps her arms around him. Refusing to let go as he tries to back away.
"Let go"
"No"
"You can't stay here"
"Watch me"
Baji sighs again, he knows he can't change her mind. He can only try and at least make her more comfortable, he doesn't know when he'll be able to again so he takes this chance. 'Doesn't mean you have to tell her anything' he thinks. His chest tightens.
Instead of trying again to move away, he leans down to place an arm underneath her knees. Scooping her up into his arms in a motion familiar to both of them. He carries her inside. She continues to sob into his chest.
He carried her over to his bed, where he had just been laying before. It was barely big enough for the two of them but it would do for the moment, he wasn't planning on sleeping anyways.
He lays down and pulls her on top of him, her ear to his chest.
"Sleep." He says all while stroking the top of her head. She wants to tell him no, to argue, to break free and demand to know what's going on in his head. But she doesn't, sleep quickly overcoming her.
Baji keeps stroking her head, all while fighting a battle inside his. He thought of Chifuyu, his heart broke with every swing. He remembers leaving school early today. How he had to lead Chifuyu straight into a trap and then pounce.
He was weighing the pros and the cons of his actions right now. 'Who knows when I'll get to do this again' he thought. 'This will just confuse her' immediately replaces the thought.
Who knew this would be the last time